Crew Insights

Kirsi Partiala
Development Manager

1. In three words or less, describe yourself.

Positive and easily inspired.

2. What do you do in Surma and why do you enjoy it?

Working as development manager, I think my main responsibility is to work together with our development team to make sure that they have everything they need and that our product development is moving in the right direction. As my background is in naval architecture, I am usually involved in our ship design related projects as well.
The most exciting part of my job is to see and experience what we can achieve as a team.

3. What are you really into outside of work?

Outside of work I like to spend my time photographing, cooking and traveling. Or preferably combining all of these! During summertime I spend most of my spare time gardening at our summer cottage.

4. If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere with anything on it — metaphorically speaking, getting a message out to millions or billions — what would it say and why?

Although it’s sometimes really difficult, I think a huge benefit and advantage can be gained through positive thinking.

5. What advice would you give to a graduating college student?

My advice would be “Don’t let the things you’ve studied determine what you can do”. In my experience one rarely ends up doing exactly those things, so don’t build yourself limitations based on schooling. For example, I never thought that a naval architect would end up as a development manager in a software company, but here I am.

DISCLAIMER: The interview questions are inspired and some even borrowed from Tim Ferriss' Tribe of Mentors. Thank you, Tim, for asking good questions!